What Now?
by TheOrange1
Summary: This is a fix-it fic for the season five finale and continued speculation for what we might see next year. I own nothing all rights reserved. Please enjoy and feel free to comment happy reading!
1. Chapter 1

_This is a fix it fic for the season five finale and continued speculation for what we might see next year. Please not there are multiple season five spoilers in this fic. So read at your own risk. I own nothing all rights reserved. Please enjoy and feel free to comment, happy reading!_

Vic was frozen as she starred at the ultrasound, she knew that Walt was either going to hear it from her, or find out some other way. She refused to allow the possibility that he might hear about the baby from someone else. She took a deep breath and stood up, but as she was turning she heard Walt's door open up behind her. She quickly hid the ultrasound and sat back down trying to gain her composure. Walt's footsteps fell heavy on the floor as he approached. Vic's heart was pounding furiously and she did her best to hide it.

"Hey Vic I umm," he sounded nervous," I wanted to share a drink with you … it is just something I had," He rubbed his jaw and continued, "What do you say?" Her stomach dropped and she struggled to respond, but with all the strength she could muster she stood and faced him.

"I appreciate the offer but I can't" His eyes grew heavy with questioning and she was sure that it wouldn't be long before he knew why alcohol was off limits.

"We're off duty it is no big deal, besides I am your boss and I say you can have a drink with me." He smiled and began twisting off the lid before she could even get a word in. Vic reached up and grabbed his hand, his eyes shot up, his stare riddled with concern.

"Please stop" She asserted, "I need to talk to you about something important and I need you to listen" Their eyes were deadlocked at this point and the air was thick with tension. Walt nodded and set the bottle down on Ferguson's desk then he gave Vic his undivided attention.

"Okay, what is it?" He was intently focused on her and he stood very still as he waited for her response.

"Uhhh, I have some news and I am sorry I didn't tell you sooner but I couldn't, I knew it wouldn't make any of this easier. I hate that you're going through all of this and I want you to know I am not going anywhere, just promise me you won't hate me for what I am about to tell you." Her eyes fell as she struggled to fight back tears, halfway there … just three more words and he would know, ' _Walt, I'm pregnant.'_ Her mouth was dry and her throat was scratchy, she glanced up to see his perplexed look of fear and anticipation. His eyes burrowed into her calm demeanor and he moved closer, causing her to step backward, bumping her desk.

"Vic what is it, are you alright, you aren't sick or in trouble are you?" He sincerely held her gaze wanting to know exactly what was wrong, he was concerned. She shook her head and responded quietly.

"Walt … I'm pregnant," there was an unbearable silence that seemed to last for hours, and he didn't move from his spot. She quickly turned around and grabbed the ultrasound holding it up for him to see.

"Oh," Walt's eyes softened as he intently looked at the picture and then back at her, "well how are you and the baby, nothing's wrong with you or the baby right … everything is fine?" Vic couldn't believe his response and she felt hot tears begin to spill from her eyes. Out of all of the ways he could have reacted he was concerned? He shifted his weight and grabbed her arm pulling her in close to him. "Shhh, it's okay, it's going to be fine Vic, and you're not alone. I am not going to let you face this by yourself." Here body trembled against him and he tightened his hold burying his face into her neck. She cried, boy did she cry, and he simply held her. When she finally pulled back Walt just looked at her, her eyes red and her hair a mess, he loved her … and he was going to make sure she knew it.

"It's Eamonn's baby Walt, I found out how far along I was and it couldn't be anyone else's." Her face flushed hot with shame, she was despicable, sleeping around like she did; and now look at the consequences. She was not at all prepared to be a mom, and the poor baby would have to deal with her for the rest of its life. Walt shook his head and let her arms go before stepping back and putting his hands on his hips. She set the ultra sound back on her desk and looked back at Walt whose face was lined with worry.

"He needs to know," Walt spoke with a stern tone, "Eamonn is a good man, he will take care of you and this baby … but you have got to give him the chance." Vic knew Walt was right but she had already messed up so many lives, and she didn't want Eamonn suffering because she was so impulsive. The terrible thing about it was, she cared about Eamonn but she didn't love him, she loved Walt and that made the whole situations almost unbearable.

"Listen, I know that I haven't exactly been forthcoming about my condition and you should have known sooner, but I can't go messing with people's lives because it is convenient … me and this baby will be fine." She searched Walt's gaze and she saw the fear, he didn't want her alone in this, and if he had to he would tell Eamonn without her permission, she knew that.

"You know you don't have to pretend to be perfect or bulletproof, I know you don't want to affect anyone's life in this way, but you didn't make that baby on your own Vic," Walt gestured to her stomach and then rubbed his jawline, "so don't try and do this on your own." Vic heard his words and they hit her hard as she tried to fight back.

"I am scared," Her eyes burned with the threat of fresh tears, "I am not mom material and I'm pretty sure I have never even changed a diaper before." Walt responded by drawing her face to his and kissing her on the forehead, he paused for a few seconds reassuring her that he cared and she sensed it, but she didn't respond like he had hoped. Vic pushed him away with her hands on his chest and shook her head before speaking.

"I need you to keep your distance, I am no good for you … anyone and everyone I love ends up damaged because of my actions, I don't want you getting hurt Walt." He was shocked, all this time he had pushed her away and held her at arm's length but now their roles were flipped, and it was terrible. Walt refused to let her go that easy and he quickly fought back.

"Not a chance Vic, I don't want you caught up in my wars, but I won't leave you alone in the middle of this. I really care about you and I refuse to let you face this by yourself." He starred her down with such an intense glare, it made her heart pound heavily in her chest. "You can't just shut me out Vic, that isn't fair." She had to make him understand, this was her mess not his, her war and no one else's.

"Walt if you really care just do as I ask, besides we don't want more rumors spreading about the details of our relationship, it would be a disaster if people thought I was pregnant with your child. Could you imagine the outcome if Donna were to hear twisted lies about you and me?" Vic's question hung in the air and Walt's brow furrowed at the bold inquiry.

"I hardly think Donna would hear anything remotely resembling such an accusation, let alone believe it. I also don't think she would care a great deal seeing as her and I aren't dating anymore." Vic wasn't sure if she heard him right, but it sounded like he said Donna and him had broken it off. She looked into his eyes searching for the slightest hint that he wasn't being entirely honest, but he held her stare.

"You and Donna aren't together anymore," She swallowed hard, "it was because of all the lies they wrote about you and I, and the kiss …. I ruined things for you because I couldn't control myself." Vic violently sucked in a deep breath as she did her best to calm down. Walt noticed her self-loathing and he refused to let it persist so he stepped forward and pulled her chin up with his callused hand.

"You didn't cause the break up Vic, we just realized that we weren't compatible and I was not being honest with her. She could sense that my heart wasn't in our relationship because," Walt paused and took a deep breath, "my heart is right here." Walt looked into Vic's eyes and soaked in the reaction, "My heart is with you Vic, I am sorry it took me so long to say so, I guess I am just a stubborn man." Wide eyed and surprised at his words, Vic simply stepped back and shook her head.

"I am no good for you Walt, you can't love me, you deserve better than me, I am pregnant and this isn't your burden." She slid past him and grabbed her coat from the rack by the door, but just as quickly as she could reach for the handle he stepped in front of her blocking her way. Her face contorted in irritation and she took an assertive step forward, "move Walt!" Her face grew hot with frustration at his insistent behavior.

"I am not asking you to say your vows Vic, I am just telling you I love you and I care enough to stand beside you through this, just like you said you would for me." His words stuck to her like honey, but they didn't taste very sweet. This couldn't be happening, she finally had a chance to be with him, the man she had come to know, admire, and love over the years; and she was pregnant with another man's baby.

"I love you too Walt, but I need some time, and I need you to give me that okay?" She brought her eyes up to meet his gaze, he was lightly nodding but it was clear that he wasn't okay with her terms. Still, he reached down and grabbed the door knob to let her out.

"You're free to go but don't hesitate to ask me for whatever you need, I'll come running." He held her stare as she moved past him and into the lobby, he didn't want to let her walk out, but he knew he couldn't keep her there. "Goodnight Vic," He smiled as she turned to leave, "thank you for telling me, I know that couldn't have been easy." She paused at the top of the stairway and took in his words … he had no idea.

"You're welcome Walt, goodnight," She continued down the stairs and out of the building into the cool night air, she was just glad she finally told him, and what a relief it was. She slowly made her way across the empty street to her truck then she reached in her jacket for the keys. Her hand came back out empty and she inhaled sharply, they were upstairs on her desk. "You have got to be joking," she mumbled under her breath, she turned and just about peed her pants at the sight of Walt walking across the street.

"Hey, sorry if I scared you, you left your keys on your desk and you can't get home without em." He made it to her and His eyes followed his hand as he passed them off. "You drive safe and please call the office when you make it, I'll be here for a while tonight." Walt smiled and took a deep breath as he rubbed his jaw, "well, I'll talk to you when you make it home, goodnight Vic." He nodded, turned and walked slowly across the road, soon disappearing into the Sheriff's office.

' _Night Walt_ ,' she didn't want to face him anymore tonight, it just made it more difficult but he wasn't going to let her off that easy, and she knew it.


	2. Chapter 2

oOo oOo oOo

Vic's eyes flew open and she slapped the top of the ridiculously high pitched alarm clock on her night stand. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of facing Walt after what she had told him the night before. She rubbed her eyes, sat up, and immediately felt nauseous. She rushed into her all too small bathroom and lost what was left of dinner from the night before. Her body was achy and her head felt like it was being held over an open flame. It was time to check in with the doctor again. Besides the morning sickness, her appetite had been changing lately and she found that her jeans fit a little tighter than she remembered. Weight gain, change in her choice of food, even what she liked to drink changed, she used to love coffee a certain way, now she couldn't drink it unless it was completely different. Her phone started buzzing on her night stand and she looked down at the caller ID, it was the office.

"Morning, Vic speaking?" She held her breath in anticipation for Walt's deep sultry voice to break through.

"Hey Vic," Ruby's familiar voice interrupted Vic's morning haze, "Just wanted to let you know before you come in to the office that it is Walt's birthday, so if you got him anything, good luck." Also, you got a call back from forensics on a gun you found, they wanted to check in with you before I gave them the go ahead to send the results." A pause harassed the conversation with an awkward silence.

"Oh, yeah, I actually forgot it was Walt's birthday, and you can let forensics know that I would appreciate the results as soon as possible." Ruby fumbled on the other end, probably trying to drink her morning coffee and talk at the same time.

"Alright Vic, well we will see you soon, honey, and I'll let the lab know right away!" Vic thanked her and hung up, her anxiety had instantly risen to an all-time high, she didn't want to know. Chance Gibert had hurt her and so many others, and she only wanted him to get what he deserved, but now Walt's character might again come under fire. The gun was a way to punish Chance and his people, not Walt. Her head was pounding at this point and she felt like she might puke again, but she fought it, took a quick shower, and got dressed. She went to go outside and nearly forgot her cellphone. She found it, locked her camper and turned to her truck, then she saw something that made her blood run cold.

oOo oOo oOo

Walt was walking out of his front door when his phone rang, he reluctantly picked it up seeing that the call was from Cati. "Hello Punk," he knew what was coming and he took a deep breath.

"Happy birthday dad!" She had such a sweet voice he couldn't help but say thank you, then she told him she wanted to sit down for lunch and enjoy some alone time with her father. Of course, he made sure to tell her he would try, but that there was a lot going on.

"I love you Punk, thank you for calling." Cati said goodbye and hung up, Walt took a deep breath and turned to walk outside. The morning air was crisp and refreshing, he always loved the view that he had every day. Now that no good Tucker Bagget and Co, were setting their eyes on his home, and he knew he was in for one crazy fight. His drive into work was a good one, he admired the beauty of Wyoming a bit more than usual. As he got to the office he noticed something very odd, Vic was not there, she usually made it in by the time he did. He didn't worry too much and figured he would give her some extra time before he started to grow concerned, after all she had just told him something really intimate. He greeted his co-workers and friends, and walked back to his office. He turned and saw balloons on his desk, which made him cringed inside, 'Ferg.' One thing he did appreciate about the balloons was what kept them from floating away, Reiner. Six cans of delicious, refreshing brew. He sat down and had a sobering thought, life had passed by so quickly, he was nearing 60 years, where had the years gone?! As he reached over and grabbed the files for the trial approaching, he choked out a gruff statement, "happy birthday to me."

oOo oOo oOo

Vic stood frozen in her tracks, Chance Gilbert's son was no more than 50 feet from her camper, with a baseball bat in his right hand. He was older than she last remembered and his facial expression suggested he was intent on using the bat. "Hey," Vic did her best to act casual, "what are you doing out here so early, don't you think your mom might worry about her son?" A smile lit up his face and he took a step forward.

"My mom is the one who sent me here Deputy Moretti, she said I had to make sure you understood how upset we are about you messing with my dad's prison sentence." He swung the bat up over his left shoulder and starred at Vic with intensity. Her face was hot, and she knew that it wouldn't be long until the boy tried to get closer to her. He was around 12 or 13 and his arms were still pretty small, but she knew what he could do with a bat, and she didn't want to find out what would happen without a helmet on. She stepped toward the boy and made her way slowly over to him, her side arm was at the ready, but she wanted it to be a last resort.

"Please, listen to me, you do not know what you're doing, your family is manipulating you into believing that I am a bad person." Vic moved cautiously toward the boy, her heart was beating a million miles a minute and she started to sweat profusely. "I need you to give me the bat and go home, I don't want anyone to get hurt." The boy locked eyes with her and began swinging the bat back and forth in front of him like some kind of deadly pendulum.

"I need you to understand something," his eyes were filled with tears as he yelled across the yard, no more than thirty five feet from Vic. "If my dad is put on death row, you will join him, make no mistake about that!" He stepped to the left and walked up behind Vic's truck. She could only watch as he smashed her right break light before sneering at her and slowly walking off. Flooded with relief she did her best to stop the trembling in her hands and knees. 'What had she gotten herself into, an enemy was now knocking at her door?' She took a deep breath and got into her truck, so much for a boring and uneventful start to her day.

oOo oOo oOo

"Vic, you're here later than normal," Ruby's words were sincere but Vic really wasn't in the mood for any kind of reminder of the morning she just had. She simply smiled at the seasoned receptionist and went over to her desk. Ruby got up and walked up to her, handing her a manila envelope and a coffee just the way she had been preferring it. "Well, no matter what kind of day it has been so far, a bit of caffeine can help." Ruby smiled at Vic and she couldn't help but smile back, she was such a kind hearted person, always helping others.

"Thank you so much, I appreciate everything you have done for me this morning and the coffee is definitely a plus!" At Vic's words Ruby nodded and returned to her desk.

"You get anything for Walt," Ferg was grinning from ear to ear and starred at Vic with a goofy expression of pride on his face, "I got him some balloons and some Reiner." Vic laughed quietly and looked at him, she could never go a day without hearing Ferg say something stupid.

"I didn't get him anything, I am just planning on saying happy birthday, don't think he would prefer much more than that." Ferg's face was red and he started patting his left shoulder with his right hand.

"Looks like I am going to be on Walt's radar for special assignments and good cases, hope your good with drunks in the park and teenagers smoking weed on school grounds Vic," His smug expression was almost enough to make her sick … wait, she was getting sick, 'oh no!' She hurried as quickly as she could out of the office without making it too obvious what was happening, but what else would they assume? She opened the door and stood over the toilet, if they didn't know then, they would definitely figure it out at the sound of her gagging in the bathroom. Nothing came up and she just stood there nauseous and irritated. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door, and a concerned Ruby spoke up.

"Hey sweetie, is everything okay, did Ferg say something stupid to upset you?" Vic smiled, Ferg didn't do anything wrong, she was the one who had gotten herself into this mess, her … a mom?!

"I'll be right out, I am just taking care of some things, she hoped Ruby would bite the bait and leave it alone … and she did. As Vic finished up and walked out she nearly smashed into Walt who was coming out from his office, "whoops, sorry," she said. Her heart was beating fast as he looked at her with intensity and concern. Her throat was dry and she had a hard time returning the gaze, then she said the only thing she could muster, "happy birthday Walt." He nodded slowly and tipped his hat slightly before replying.

"Thanks Vic, but you really don't have to remind me that I am gray and old, my body and mirror remind me of that every day." His lips shifted into a half smile and he stepped passed her, which finally gave her the chance to exhale, she didn't realize she had been holding her breath. That man made her crazy.


	3. Chapter 3

oOo oOo oOo

His eyes burned with weariness as he struggled to find some way to ease the intense pain in his ankles and wrists. Henry was dehydrated and helpless in the middle of a reservation somewhere.

"Help!" His screams were muffled and raw, it was as if someone had poured boiling water down his throat. The pain was nothing compared to the terror he had each time his captors returned. Anything the ropes were doing to his joints would pale in comparison to what the kidnappers had in store for him. Through all of the utter horror and sickening degradation he was experiencing he had a sobering and comforting thought, today was his best friend's birthday; and even though they were still at odds since their fight, Henry longed to give Walt a hug and have a cold Reiner with him. His body was stiff from the stationary position he had been in for so long, 'how long had he been here?' An even greater question, 'where was here?' He recognized the smell and the shrubbery, but it seemed like any time he turned his head; all he saw was flat, smoldering, and unforgiving terrain. An intense weariness began to overtake him and he simply couldn't fight it. Shivering and helpless, Henry promised himself he would wake up again, at least for a moment.

oOo oOo oOo

Vic stared at the manila envelope on her desk just taunting her, the information inside could ruin some lives, specifically Walt's. If Walt's life was destroyed by the DNA evidence on the gun she found, it would change everything. "Ruby, when did the lab contact you on the DNA results?" Ruby's eyes met hers and she quickly responded.

"The lab called around 5:30 am this morning, and I happened to be in at the time. Then I called you a minute later to verify and get your consent because you are the one handling the evidence."

"Okay, thank you, Ruby, I appreciate your help with this." The seasoned receptionist (and everything else the Sheriff's office needed) simply smiled back and nodded her head. Vic was sure that she heard Walt walking up behind her and she swiveled quickly to find an empty doorway. Playing it off she got up and reached for the coffee, then she remembered she had already had today's max amount. The doctor had given her a checklist of things not to eat, drink, or do, none of them were ideal, but all of them were worthwhile sacrifices. The baby was getting bigger, she knew that by the tighter fit of her already tight jeans, she would have to go shopping soon. She turned to find Ferg and Ruby looking at her, so she quickly responded to them. "I have to go out, I'll be back soon. I'm taking an early lunch." She glanced up at the clock, it was only 10:00 am, "or a brunch if you want to call it that." Vic smiled as both her co-workers and friends watched her grab her coat and keys to leave. "Call if anything comes up and I will hurry right over, otherwise; I'll be back in an hour." She turned to go but then quickly realized that she needed the evidence on the gun, she turned only to find a confused looking Walt staring down at her; his face alive with questions.

"You got some place more important to be?" His lips were tight with concern, as his inquiry stilled hung in the air. "Last time I checked you were on the payroll, which means you go when I give the okay."

Her cheeks burned with an intense irritation, who did he think he was?! "I have got some errands to finish up and I'll just eat my lunch on the run." It will only be an hour and then I'll be here to help with whatever needs to be done. I'll clock out if you want me to."

Walt's face was lined with genuine regret, he didn't have to go and accuse her of being lazy to keep her close to him, he was just worried for her safety and he wanted her to be okay. "That's alright, just hurry back and make sure you call if you need anything." He gave a smile and turned to walk back to his office, hand on his holster he sauntered back to the lonely room at the back of the Sheriff's Office.

"Okay, I will," Vic answered sensing the awkwardness radiating from Ferg and Ruby, she spun on her heels and gave a quick nod before stepping out into the foyer. She had to deal with this evidence in a way that would keep Walt out of trouble, he just didn't deserve to be accused, she was going to solidify his innocence. She knew what she had to do, bury the gun where no one would ever find it again. Talk with the labs about a faulty delivery, and that the results never arrived. She would think up some fib about the uselessness of a copy due to an inconclusive DNA match on the firearm. She knew it was protocol for the labs to simply relay the DNA evidence, and to refrain from studying and memorizing it themselves. Her forehead was damp with sweat as she quickly left the office, her heart was pounding out of her chest.

"Did she say anything about where she was going?" Walt's strong and baritone voice echoed through the office.

"No, just that she would be back in an hour, and that she would call if she needed anything." Ferg's words stuck in the air for what seemed like far too long, then Walt responded.

"Well she won't be calling us on her cell," Walt held the device up in his hand, "and her holster is laying on the back of her chair?" It was normal for Vic to lighten her load when in office, but she would never leave without her phone and gun on any other day. "I'll run them out to her, you all stay busy here, I'll be right back." Walt hurried out of the office Vic's things in hand.

"This is the stupidest idea I have ever had," Vic said as she backed out of her parking spot. Driving away she sensed she had forgotten something, her gun holster, and her cell phone, no way she was going back to get them, Walt had already tried to keep her there and the later she put this off the more of a threat it was to Walt. After grabbing the gun from the evidence lab, she just drove, having no idea where she was going she just drove further out in reservation territory, she knew the risks, but to her … it was worth it. Getting Chance Gilbert what he deserved was not worth Walt's reputation and well-being. She pulled off the barely beaten dirt drive and went about a mile before finally stopping. As she got out she heard a strange sound from a distance away, reaching for her gun she realized she was unarmed, but she had grabbed her rifle that morning and it was in the back of her truck. She quickly turned to get the shovel and grab some extra shells, this was it. She was about to break Federal Law and risk her livelihood to protect the man she loved, this was really, really not smart. She dug a very deep hole and rolled the gun up in a towel before beginning the already initiated process of becoming a criminal. She had almost finished filling the hole when she heard the same noise she had heard just twenty minutes earlier.

"Hello?" Her word hung in the air, and she felt an uneasiness as she opened the door of her truck and placed the shovel inside. The rifle remained at her side as she felt the intense curiosity take over, she was really making unwise decisions today. A white sheriff's deputy on an Indian reservation alone. Not to mention, a pregnant one! Still, she kept walking, and then after walking about eighty feet, she saw him. She rushed up to Henry, who looked half dead, his eyelids fluttering as if he was having some kind of seizure. His skin was blistered by the sun and she could barely keep herself composed.

"Henry!?" Her heart was pounding in her chest and the sweat forming on her brow began to fall, landing on the dry sand of the arid Wyoming landscape. "It's okay, it's Vic, I am going to get you out of here, it is going to be okay." Vic struggled with the knots and quickly remembered the gutting knife in her glove department. She rushed to her truck and ran back to his side. Kneeling down she began to cut the rope as quickly as she possibly could. Henry was mumbling something that she couldn't understand. She tried to ignore the burning pain in her lower back, the hole she had dug took a lot out of her, being pregnant was no picnic, but she had to help Henry. "Okay, I am almost done," she spoke to a nearly unresponsive Henry, he was dying, she had been around death enough to know its scent, its face, she had to hurry. He smelled like urine and fecal matter and she wondered how long he had been out here. Right now the two of them were sitting ducks, she finished slicing the rope and tried to drag him toward her truck. Very quickly, eighty feet seemed to become a thousand as she struggled to drag Henry's dead weight on her own.

"Ohhhhh," Henry's painful groans spilled into the air, "No, no, no," he muttered. He was traumatized, whoever had done this to him really did a good job. He began to flail ever so slightly, but it wasn't enough to loosen Vic's grip. Her hands held tight under his arms as she tugged him toward the truck. With every pull, her back pain intensified and her lungs began to burn.

"It's okay Henry, I got you, it's okay." The reassurance seemed to calm him and he stopped struggling, then Vic placed him down gently realizing her idiotic mistake. Why had she not just taken the truck key and driven up to Henry? She rushed to the truck and turned the key. As she drove over, her radio hissed to life. Pulling up as close as she could get, Vic put the truck in park.

"Vic, you there Vic?" At Walt's voice, she grabbed the radio and just as she was about to let him know about Henry, the sound of a gun being cocked stopped her dead in her tracks. "Vic!" Walt's frantic voice sounded from her radio, he was clearly trying to contact her because he was worried, now she wished she had just talked to him. Turning to see a swollen faced man with beady eyes, Vic just raised her arms and stepped out of the truck. Henry lay on the ground a few feet away, still appearing to be dead.

"What is a pretty deputy such as yourself doing way out here on reservation property?" Vic's throat was dry and her eyes were blurred with tears from the choking heat and dust she had inhaled. The gun in her face reminded her of her baby and the maternal instinct in her reacted so fast she scarcely had time to process what she was saying, she simply raised her hands higher over her head and then she spoke.

"I was just going for a quick stroll through the Wyoming wasteland," Vic answered. The man at the other end of the barrel smiled at her, revealing quite a few missing teeth.

"I don't suppose you were trying to take this Indian back with you," he spat, nodding down toward Henry. The answer to his question was obvious to both of them, she had no choice but to fight the robust man with the 12 gauge shotgun in his hands. Her quick reaction caught him off guard as she swept his left leg out from underneath him, and he came smashing to the ground. She quickly grabbed his shotgun and turned to look at Henry, he was in rough shape. Turning back and aiming the gun at her attacker she was startled to realize he had pulled a concealed firearm from his leg strap and before she could react … he fired. The shot rang out into the air and an intense pain ran through her right shoulder and out of her back. Her breath caught in her lungs. It felt like someone had stabbed her with a smoldering hot cattle prod.

"Ahhhhh!" She screamed in pain then fired back instantaneously, but she didn't miss her target, it was a fatal shot. He died a few seconds later splayed out on the ground. She dropped the shot gun and winced at the pain as she fell just outside of her truck. Vic tried to breathe as the pain became more and more intense, she saw Henry's lifeless form just a few feet from her and she tried to will herself to move, but for some reason, her entire body seemed to be paralyzed. Sitting there she tried to assess the damage. She hadn't realized how bad the gunshot wound was. The back of her uniform was sticky with warm blood and she looked down to see it spread out on the dirt where she sat. Her vision began to blur, and all she heard before losing consciousness was the dull hum of her truck engine and the faint buzz of radio waves.


	4. Chapter 4

oOo oOo oOo

Walt became agitated at the dial tone on the other end of his call. Ruby had mentioned something about Vic acting strangely that morning about the DNA evidence the lab had sent over on the gun she turned into them. Walt immediately called them to see if they had seen Vic, he was getting no answer. What in the world had she gotten herself into!? Walt's patience was wearing thin and he felt like hanging up, but the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that he shouldn't, he had to find her. 

"DNA evidence, Absaroka county, can I help you?" Walt's heartbeat faster in his chest, thank God someone answered! 

"Yes, this is Sheriff Longmire, I was calling about Deputy Moretti, was she in today?" The brief pause sent chills up Walt's spin, was she okay? The voice at the other end was clear and direct, unmistakably professional, but Walt's insides were still churning.

"Yes, Deputy Morreitti did come in today, she said that you had sent her to pick up the gun we ran diagnostics on." Walt listened intently, "it was a gun retrieved in the case of one, Chance Gilbert." The name was painfully familiar, it was enough to send his head spinning with dread.

"Thank you, I appreciate the information, have a nice day." Walt hung up quickly and ran from his office, his quick departure clearly noticed by Ferg and Ruby, each sat silently staring at one another in confusion. He had in mind that she had taken the gun to hide it so that his DNA wouldn't be linked, he hoped he was wrong. If she had taken the results and called for a termination of the diagnostic records without legal authorization, it meant prison time. Walt tried to gain some sort of footing as he seemed to be in a state of confusion and frustration. Where would she go to get rid of the evidence, somewhere U.S. law enforcement has little to no jurisdiction … Reservation territory. Walt's radio buzzed to life and Ferg's familiar voice rang through the air.

"Hey Walt, you left in quite a hurry, Ruby and I were just checking on you. We also wanted to ask if there is anything we could help with?" Ferg was always one to mean well, but he seemed to interject at the most inappropriate times. "Walt?"

"Yeah, I am alright, no need for back up, just checking on a disturbance outside of Res territory, I'll let you know if anything changes." There was a short moment of static before Ferg responded, seemingly fooled by Walt's response.

"Okay, thanks for the update boss, you have a great day, I'll make sure to be ready if anything comes up." Ferg hung up on his end and Walt just kept driving, there was no need to panic, what kind of trouble could she have gotten into anyway, at the worst she got caught by reservation law enforcement and was being held there, but then again … he would have gotten a call. One thing that Mathias was good at was making sure to inform Walt on things he didn't like. He just drove, noticing a similar track going off-road he turned and followed it for about fifteen minutes. What he saw as he approached the scene made his blood run cold.

oOo oOo oOo

Mathias was sitting in his office counting the hours before he could go "off duty" for the night. Reservation life never rested, but he could sometimes get a few hours of sleep when the calls came in slower, this wasn't one of those nights. The phone rang as he rolled his eyes at the loathsome tone.

"Mathias, what can I help you with?" Walt's voice cracked through the silence and he was clearly upset.

"Mathias, I just found a dead body on your reservation, please don't ask me why I'm out here, just hear me out. It is a pretty messy homicide, nothing else to report, just one dead middle-aged male and my deputy's truck." Mathias paused before responding.

"Okay, just give me your location, I'll be out there as soon as I can." Walt had brought Vic's phone with him in case he might need it, what he wasn't expecting was to find a dead man in the middle of nowhere. He scanned the fields around him, then he saw it. Four pegs in a hog-tie, some kind of torture device. There had been someone tied to it, but it was cut at each corner. It looked like a body had been dragged for a short distance then left. Vic's truck was still running. He walked over to shut it off, and his breath caught in his throat. There was a pool of dried blood just outside the driver's side door. He would not have thought anything of it, except that the man lying dead on the ground was four feet from the truck, this was Vic's blood.

"Oh no, no, please no. Vic, where are you?" His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt like he might throw up. He heard the sound of fast approaching vehicles and turned to see Mathias as well as one of his deputy's pulling up to the scene.

"Hey, what have we got here Walt?" Mathias studied the area carefully, then he looked intently at the dead man lying on the ground. "That is one of Malachi's men, I recognize him from the few times I had the "fortunate" run in with my predecessor and his band of outlaws." Walt stared at Mathias with an intensity to match how he felt.

"Well, we have quite the mess on our hands here, I am almost positive that this man was killed by my deputy, but he got a shot off before he was killed." Walt pointed to the blood staining the ground beside him, his hand shaking violently … "that's Vic's blood."

oOo oOo oOo

Her eyes fluttered open as she tried desperately to retain any semblance of composer she might have left. Vic's head throbbed at the sunlight shining through the cracks of what appeared to be an old shack of some sort. She shifted ever so slightly to try and assess her surroundings, quickly she realized that moving was not going to be easy, her left shoulder screamed as stabs of intense pain radiated down her back. She gasped loudly at the discomfort and looked down at her torso. She had only her tank top on which was hardly white anymore but had been stained red by her blood. Her head throbbed at the slightest turn and what appeared to be a body lay not three feet from her. "Henry!" Vic screamed and was rocked back at the pain welling up from her throat. It burned as if she had been forced to drink bourbon … that would explain her headache … and the reality that she couldn't remember much of what had happened after she passed out.

"Ughh, ahhh, aww, ughhh," Henry began to move ever so slightly and the painful groaning was a good sign that whoever had taken them here, gave him some much-needed medical attention. She noticed that there was a gauze wrap placed over her shoulder one each side, she was grateful.

"Henry, it's Vic, can you hear me?" She saw movement but was getting nothing of a useful response from him. Her arms and legs were bound tightly to the chair she sat in, and she could not move much further down than a few inches to try and get closer to him. "I need you to talk to me Henry, how are you feeling?" He turned slowly to face her and she was shocked to see that his recently bloodied face had men washed and bandaged, he stared up at her and spoke.

"Vic, where on God's green earth are we?" His question hung in the air, she wished so much that she could answer his question but there was little to no way that she could even guess, she had probably been unconscious for quite a few hours. The sunlight coming through appeared to be early morning light, but it could very well be the middle of the day. Henry's voice cut through the silence, "Did you see who grabbed us, anything you might remember about them?" Henry was ashamed to admit that he didn't recognize or remember the faces of the men who had so heinously tortured him, it was like his memory was wiped.

"I am sorry Henry, I can't remember a thing … just that there was a man I shot who tried to keep you on Res territory, they had you tied up." She tried to picture the man in her mind, toothless grin, round face, Indian. "I killed him, he had a concealed and he shot me, then I took him with his own gun." Her demeanor changed and Henry noticed, then he asked the long avoided question.

"How did you know I was out there Vic?" Henry was clearly curious as to how he wasn't dead, and that somehow the young deputy had stumbled on what was sure to be his gravesite. He waited for her response, she shook her head.

"Luck, I just happened to be doing a routine drive just outside of Res territory when I spotted vultures and suspicious tire marks a couple miles in." Her eyes met his and he relented, that was enough about how all of this happened, what was most important now was finding out where they were and just how they were going to get out.

"You two having quite the conversation huh?" The raspy voice was so distinct and familiar that Vic could hardly believe her ears, how in the world did Malachi Strange manage to get the best of her, Vic's face burned hot with anger. "Deputy, perhaps you can explain why one of my men is dead outside of your truck, and why we found Henry Standing-Bear freed from his noose of sorts?" She glanced up at his plump and wicked face, he was smiling at her, clearly in control of the situation.

"You tell me," Vic smirked back, he raised his hand and brought it down hard on the side of her face. She rocked back with such force that the chair tipped on its side and she came crashing to the floor. Her breath caught in her lungs as she struggled to fight the urge to scream out in pain, she had to be strong. "Don't tell me you've gone soft Malachi." Henry squirmed in discomfort as he could only watch.

"Leave her alone Malachi, it's me you want remember, you don't need to hurt her, it will only get you into more trouble with Walt." Malachi's attention shifted to his prisoner tied to the wall, he lay on his side, stuck. "If you want to prove you're a man why not start by hitting me?" Henry was glad to see the man's demeanor change.

"That pet of Longmire's over there has a mouth on her that is likely to get her killed one day, she better keep it shut … or I'll shut it for her." Malachi glanced back at a clearly shaken Vic, she was in serious pain by the looks of it, and he liked that … serves her right for messing up his plans. "Walt huh, I can hardly wait for him to get here, he and Mathias found the crime scene I was forced to leave behind." He won't take long finding this place, but he'll find his grave along with it." Malachi sounded like he had planned the whole thing to work out exactly the way it was, he was playing it cool.

"He is going to make you hurt for what you have done," Henry spat. "If it is anyone's grave, it will be yours you, coward." Malachi made a quick movement and struck Henry on the forehead with his boot heel. Henry shouted in agony, his face contorted in pain.

"Stop it, Malachi!" Vic screamed, her body shaking from pain and adrenaline, "you have no idea who you're dealing with." He glanced down at her with a confused look on his face.

"If I didn't know, I wouldn't be here. I want Walt to come, I have his best friend and his deputy. Even though we all know you are much more than that to him … aren't you?" Vic squeezed her eyes shut in discomfort, she felt tired … like she needed to shut her eyes for a while. Before she could defend Walt's honor, her body was overcome with fatigue, all she heard was the faint click of Malachi's boots living the room, and then, there was darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

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"So, we are going to stay our here all night looking for your deputy instead of finding our bearings, filing the murder report; and getting a few winks?" Mathias eyed the old cowboy, the glint of the setting sun burned fire red on his seasoned shotgun. Walt looked earnestly at the man in front of him before ripping into him.

"You are some lawman, what kind of a man stops searching for a injured deputy, because he is too tired?" Walt stared Mathias down until he bowed his head in defeat, whatever Walt had planned he wanted to help, maybe they weren't best friends, but he respected him.

"Alright, that's fair, but I don't have the slightest idea where we should start, maybe we could keep looking for tracks, boot prints, blood, the typical crime scene tells." Walt nodded in agreement before turning to climb into his Bronco. He stepped out a few seconds later with a flashlight and two flares. Mathias wasn't sure what his companion was doing, but he dare not question him. Mathias could tell that Walt was worried, they had searched for at least an hour and a half for anything that might lead them to Moretti, but their efforts weren't turning up much.

"How about we go North, further in, it seems like Malachi would want me to stick my head where it doesn't belong. A lot of reservation locals don't like the idea of a white sheriff over-staying his welcome." Mathias looked at Walt with a mildly sarcastic expression.

"Heck Walt, I don't even want you here, but if you have a suspicion that Malachi would pull a stunt like that, then I think we had better take a look." Mathias turned back to his deputy who was leaning lazily against his car. "You get back to the station don't say a word to anyone. If they ask just tell them I was out on a domestic disturbance." The sleepy deputy nodded in agreement and left in a frenzied cloud of Wyoming dust. Mathias opened his trunk up and grabbed two Kevlar vests for him and his "partner." The fact that he and Walt were even getting along said a lot about Walt's focus, he was concerned about Vic.

"Mathias, I know that you probably want point on this but …" before Walt could even finish Mathias was waving his hand in the air, as he slowly shook his head.

"No, you have point, I am not in the mood to get shot first anyway." Mathias grinned at Walt and stepped next to him as they both prepped for the unavoidably long night ahead. They walked for at least 15 miles before they came to a ridge. Walt was cautious with the flashlight because he didn't want them to be spotted way out here with such little cover. When they came to the ridge Walt glanced over, there was a small shack, probably 100 feet out. "Walt?" Mathias was to his right, firearm at the ready, "do you have any idea what Vic was doing out here in the first place?" His question hung in the air for a few seconds, then Walt felt obliged to respond.

"She was doing something for me, I didn't think she would end up getting shot and drug way out here to some hole in the middle of nowhere." Walt's face was weary with guilt, and Mathias was well aware of the fact that Vic meant more to him than he was willing to admit. "I know this is the place, I just feel like Malachi would gladly hold up in a place like this hoping I'd come along and try and be the hero. He is right," Mathias shook his head in irritation at the old lawman's words.

"Listen Walt, even if Vic is in there, we can't be sure its not a trap. Our best bet is to think up a plan of attack, something that won't get us killed, because we are no good to Vic dead." Walt smiled at Mathias and nodded his head, he was right; even though Walt just wanted to break the door in.

"Did you know that today is my birthday, my birthday, and I am out here hoping that Vic isn't dead because of me." Walt shook his head and breathed deep as he tried to compose himself, it didn't work and he felt his eyes burn with unwelcome tears. "Don't let this make you think less of me Mathias, but I have to be honest with you, or else I might lose my mind." The small and confused lawman looked up with a surprised look on his face.

"What is it Walt, I am sure you have a good reason for showing such concern for Vic, but what do you want to get off of your chest?" Mathias really hoped he wasn't pushing him too hard to tell the truth, but the silence was enough to make anyone feel awkward.

"Vic is pregnant, it is part of the reason I was so set on finding her as soon as possible, if she is in bad shape it can't be good for the baby." Mathias' eyes grew wide and his expression was enough to sober the emotional man looking back at him. "Oh, not my baby! She told me last night, there is no way I am the father." Walt's reassurance seem to calm Mathias down as he looked absolutely petrified at the confession.

"Do you know how far along she is? I mean when the baby is due?" Mathias entertained the idea of Vic Moretti waddling around with a big belly. This did make the situation all the more serious though, it wasn't just Vic who was in danger, but now a baby … hopefully a baby who was still alive.

"I am not sure exactly, but I have got to find her tonight Mathias, and if you wouldn't mind some discretion I would greatly appreciate it." Walt looked at Mathias waiting for some kind of reassurance as to his loyalties. Mathias simply nodded his head and reached to shake Walt's hand.

"I won't say anything about what is going to happen here, you have my word." As they both agreed to work together, a man walked out of the shack like structure with a garment in one hand and what looked like a can of gasoline in the other. The stranger set the can down and held the beige garment out in front of him. Chills swept up Walt's spine as the air around him seem to vanish, the man dropped Vic's uniform on the ground before pouring a ridiculous amount of gasoline on it. He lit a match and dropped it on top of the blood stained shirt. The flames quickly devoured it and Walt's heart raced, was she even still alive? He had to believe she was, she had to be.

oOo oOo oOo

There was a harsh smell in the air that burned her nostrils, Vic's eyes fluttered open. She was right side up again and sitting directly in front of a small door. There was an intense throbbing shuddering through here right thigh, she had fallen hard and the floor was little more than a thick cement slab. She tried to adjust her eyes to the dimly lit room once again. Horror soon found her as she realized Henry was gone. She felt her stomach tangle into a web of despair. Then the strong metallic smell hit her once again, " _gasoline_!"

"Help!" Vic began to rock violently back and forth, the chair she was in finally fell with enough force to snap one of the legs off. She squirmed to get free from her restraints and was swiftly met with such an intense pain that her breath caught in her throat. Tears filled her eyes and began to blur her vision, her shoulder was wrecked with a stabbing pain and she cringed at the burning wound. Her determination brought her through the haze she was in, then she managed to get her left arm free. She sat up and began to work on the nots with everything she had. She was not giving up, no way!

"I fell in to the burning ring of fire, I fell down, down, down, and the flames got higher." Vic stopped dead in her tracks, the low muffled voice came from just outside of the shack, and then the sloshing of gasoline with its all too familiar stench followed. "And it burned, burned, burned, that ring of fire, the ring of fire." Her heart began to race as she truly came to grips with what was about to happen, Henry had been taken by Malachi, and she had been left to burn alive, unless Walt managed to find her in time. Or she managed to get out of the box-like death trap. Whoever was outside wasn't going to be there much longer, one of Malachi's men no doubt, she squeezed her eyes shut and quickly broke her right thumb.

"Mmmm!" She bit her lip as the hand quickly slid out and she clutched her wrist blinking back tears. Hands free she worked on her restraints, then the smoke started rolling in and she saw the faint glow of firelight creeping through the small cracks in the walls of the shack. As she stood her head flooded with a dizziness that set her spinning. She flung her arms out in front of her in hopes to catch herself, it worked, but not without consequence. Her right arm cracked as she landed heavily on the cold floor of her prison. "Ahhhh," Her shouts of pain only intensified the heart stopping headache that shot through her brain like a bullet. Through all of the intense torture she had a sobering thought, she was still alive … she could feel that; man could she feel that. Breathing deeply Vic realized that her adrenaline had kicked in and the pain was dulled for now. With blurry vision she slowly stood, and quickly wiped her bloodshot eyes with the back of her hand. The smoke creeped in and began to choke her. She coughed as her body shook and she was forced to get low, only able to use one arm she hobbled toward the door. It must have been locked from the outside, she couldn't open it. Searching frantically for another way out she saw a small splintered portion of the back wall and bolted for it. The heat of the fire intensified and she felt it lick her face as she came upon the small hole. Her legs still worked, so she turned on her back and began kicking the wall with as much force as she could muster, which wasn't much. Vic knew one thing for sure, this was her last chance. As she kicked at the wall muffled voices stung her ears from just outside the shack, she paused to try and hear what was happening.

"Come on, come on!" Vic's heart leapt at Walt's voice, he was just outside! Her tired and broken body just stopped working as she lay there looking up at the ceiling. All she had left was a faint, "Walt," and then her eyelids shut with ease.

oOo oOo oOo

"Mathias we have get in there now!" Walt was frantic as the two men tried to find a way through the flames shooting up the side of the shack. Mathias pulled his gun and shot the latched door in front of them before kicking it in. Walt practically flew in as the black smoke bellowed out and marred the early evening sky.

"Walt wait!" Mathias rushed in after him, heart in his throat as Walt turned around with a seemingly lifeless Vic in his arms. "Oh no, is she dead!?" Walt rushed past him and out into the crisp night air, his heart was pounding like a drum and his eyes were wet with tears, not from the smoke, Walt was panicked. He knelt down slowly, and Mathias took off his coat and placed in under Vic's head. Both men looked at one another, an expression of dread on each of their faces. "I'll call 911, we will have medics out here asap" Mathias announced. He tried to assure the old sheriff but Walt just starred at Vic, he had to try something. He pressed his massive fingers to Vic's neck and waited, he felt a pulse … a very faint one. He held his ear right next to her mouth and soon realized she wasn't breathing.

"I am going to try and get her breathing, she isn't breathing!" Walt's hands shook violently as he grabbed her chin and nose, then he pressed his lips against hers and forced air into her lungs. He did it again and again doing small compressions between each breath. What if the smoke had done too much damage? "Vic, stay with me Vic!" Walt was overwhelmed and his arms began to grow weak, still, he kept going. "Breathe! Breathe!" He started compressing with more force, against his own will, but he was glad he did. First it was quite, then Vic started gasping and coughing all on her own. Walt's face flushed with heat as he lifted her up into his arms lightly smacking her back to encourage her to breathe. "I, I thought I was going to lose you there." They both sat in the dust, as Mathias talked on the phone with the first responders who were on their way, he glanced down at them, finally able to catch his breath. Vic's frame shook violently and her low sobs began to grow louder. Walt let her go and looked at her, she was beat up pretty good, the left side of her face was swollen and a fair amount of dried blood covered her forehead and left cheek. "What did he do to you? I'm going to kill him, he is going to hurt for this." He starred at her, so thankful she was okay, that he wasn't too late.

"Walt," she stuttered, trying to get the words out. "He has Henry, Mm, Malachi has Henry." Walt wasn't sure if he heard her right, then she said his name again, this was far from over. "Don't go after him, please, he is going to kill you … he, he said that he would kill you." He held Vic close and re-assured her he wouldn't, not right now … but he knew Henry didn't have long either. His gut turned with rage, Malachi Strange was going to get what was coming to him, and Walt was going to make sure of it. "I'm sorry, I should have tried to stop him" Vic mumbled … "I'm sorry" Walt looked at her and shook his head.

"It's okay Vic, you're okay, shhh, it's okay." His broad arms swallowed her as they rocked back and forth on the dusty ground. He slowly kissed her forehead and lightly stroked her hair as light tears formed in his eyes, he was going to end this feud, or he was going to die trying.


	6. Chapter 6

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"Serious complications arose and the baby didn't survive the surgery meant to save them both. We did all we could do, Deputy Moretti pulled through but is still fighting infection, we are hopeful that she will fully recover. She is lucky you found her when you did or we would have lost both of them." The doctor's words stuck to Walt like a nervous sweat and he could only nod to let the Doc know that he heard him. "You can go in and see her, she will be asleep for a little while longer. Sheriff?" Walt looked intently at the doctor, "did you want to tell her, because I can definitely do that, but I wanted to ask." Walt nodded.

"I will, thank you for all that you and the staff did for her," Walt gave a half smile, then the man in the white coat shook his head, turned and left. Walt was quivering and he hadn't noticed until now. When he went into that flaming shed all he could think about was Branch and how he got to him too late. Now all he could do was stand there wondering how in the world he was going to tell Vic that they weren't able to save the baby.

"Hey Sheriff," A startled Walt, turned to see Mathias looking back at him. "You never told me what you prefer to eat so I just brought you something." He handed him a paper bag, it's contents a mystery. "How is she doing," Mathias glanced toward Vic.

"Better, they weren't able to save the baby, but she is okay and the Doc left it up to me whether I wanted to tell her or let him do it." Walt shook his head "I don't know what to say, I am sick about it. She has been here twelve hours, she has been asleep this whole time." Mathias lifted a hand to Walt's shoulder, which he welcomed. He was glad to have found a friend in Mathias, they had fought each other for so long and it all seemed pointless now. "Thank you for being here," Walt's sincerety was clear and Mathias patted his shoulder and nodded.

"I appreciate you letting me help you find Henry, I am just glad to help Walt." He and Mathias had been up all hours of the night brainstorming on the possible whereabouts of Malachi. Walt was beyond grateful for the help, all he wanted to do was find his best friend and take care of the snake who had him.

"You should get some sleep, you are no good to Henry if you can't function ... neither am I." Mathias nodded and left, Walt had to get some sleep to, it was going to have to wait though. She stirred and her eyes fluttered open, instantly landing on Walt, "Hey Vic, welcome back."

o0o o0o o0o

"Can you see the reason behind it Henry? It is all part of my plan, I will be the most powerful man in Wyoming. Everyone will be under my thumb. No more Walt Longmire to deal with. Of course it will be made to look like a shoot out gone wrong. He finds you here, ... but he is too late. He will be murdered by a gunman who is never identified. Also, that pretty little deputy isn't going to survive her hospital stay, an accidental morphine overdose, poor thing was in so much pain. Then there is that pathetic Mathias sitting pretty on the Res, he will meet an unfortunate end also. Is there anyone I am forgetting Henry?" Malachi's sneer was frightening and Henry did his best to play it off.

"So that is the master plan, kill all of the people who know you are a mad man? Hardly seems clean to me, you'll slip up and get caught." Henry's confidence faltered. He was helpless to warn anyone, tied to a large pillar in what appeared to be a warehouse, dust covered every surface, agitating his eyes and throat. "Bad men like you don't get away with murder for long, you will get yours Malachi, mark my words." His captor starred down at him, leaned in closer and cracked a gun across his already mangled face. The pain vibrated through his skull and causes his vision to blur. Henry took a deep breath, "You coward, untie me and get rid of the gun I'll show you what it means to hurt!" A low bellow of laughter rose from Malachi's chest.

"That's where your wrong Standing Bear, I am going to show you."

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She did her best to focus on Walt but her head felt like it was in a meat grinder. She kept blinking until finally her blurred vision began to fade. He was the only person she wanted at her side right now. " Walt, I am so sorry I put you through that, it went wrong so fast I had no int ..." Walt shook his hand to stop her apology from continuing. She sat there confused for a moment. She could feel her heart pounding in her ears. She knew what the look on his face meant, she had seen it a thousand times before.Vic inhaled sharpely, "what is it?"

"Vic, I um, I am sorry, the uh, the staff weren't able to save the baby, the little one didn't make it through the surgery." Vic felt intense pressure on her chest as if she was being suffocated. Her head set to spinning again and she just started to cry, tears only, no words or sound escaped from her lips, just a flood of hot tears. "I am so sorry," Walt's words were meant to comfort but they only intensified the knot in her throat. Then a sobering thought came to her, 'she?'

"I know I had a daughter." Walt looked at her speechless, he was taken off guard by her response. " Can I see her?" Walt wasn't sure how to respond, but he did any way.

"I am not sure Vic we can page the doctor and see about it, there is a chance that you could see her." He was overwhelmed by her request and simply reached up to grab her hand as she finally let go and cried, her loud sobs rang through the halls and corridor. "It isn't your fault Vic, please know that. You faught so hard for her, and she faught for you too." Vic sobered up and starred at him.

"What do you mean by that," Vic asked, "my baby is gone." Walt looked at her and took a deep breath.

"I mean she helped you survive, if you had been alone you would have died, but the doctors said that the baby's red blood cells from the placenta went to you as a result of the trauma, which

saved you Vic, she faught for you." Vic smiled through tears that would not stop, her heart was broken, she had never meant for any of this to happen. Walt's voice sounded through her grief, "I am here if you need me, doc said eating and drinking plenty of fluids will get you back on you feet again in a few days." Vic nodded, let go of Walt's hand and wiped away her tears, inhaling deeply she looked at the man she loved, her heart began pounding in her chest and the frantic look on her face startled Walt.

"Henry?" Her question hung in the air as they both simply sat and starred at each other.Then finally Walt answered.

"Nothing yet, we will find him, trust me." Vic's eyes flew downward and she looked at her hands.

"It's Malachi I don't trust, we have to find him Walt, before it's to late." Walt looked at her shaking his head.

"We, is out of the question, you need to stay here and get better Vic." She looked at him intently, her worry obvious on her face.

"He is ready for you Walt, he is going to do everything in his power to kill you, you need back up." He looked at her and then stood.

I have Mathias to help me, the fewer people who know about Malachi's plans the better, I will not endanger more people than I have to." Vic shook her head.

"Walt he has an entire arsenal and army at his disposal, it is dangerous going after him like this." Her face was lined with concern. He turned to her once more before leaving.

"He is gonna need a lot more then that to stop me."


	7. Chapter 7

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"So I asked an old buddy of mine who ran with Malachi years ago about places he remembers from when they were just boys. He gave me a couple old Reservation properties that could be potential hideouts." Walt's ears were attentive as Mathias shared his intel and handed Walt the addresses he had scribled on a napkin, the wearied Sheriff's heart was pounding with hope, or was it dread at what they might find.

"This is good news, I know one of these locations. This is a grain mill that has been shut down for at least twelve years." Walt pointed at the napkin. "It has a massive storage barn and the works, on about 15 acres of land. We will start there, I have a feeling in my gut that this is the place Mathias." The silky-haired lawmen stared at Walt with deep black eyes.

"You sure about that old gut of yours Walt, in my experience it sometimes gets a little mixed up on things." Mathias meant well and Walt knew that, there just was not enough time for them to argue about it. Walt shifted his weight and rubbed his jawline.

"I know we rarely saw eye to eye, but this isn't the time to revisit that tendency. I think that we should go to the mill Mathias, call it a hunch, gut filling, whatever you want ... but I am telling you; this is the one." Walt's eyes intensified as he held the gaze of his equally stubborn new ally. "Trust me on this." Mathias broke his stare and let out a long sigh before looking back at Walt.

"I trust you Walt, but if Malachi is there, he knows you're coming, so he will be ready for you. No way we survive it. No way Henry survives it, if he is even still alive." Walt heard the fear in Mathias' voice, he was scared too, it was honestly a suicide mission. Unless the element of surprise was still a trick worth trying.

"I would not blame you if this was the end of the line for you friend. I cannot repay you for all you have done, but I am going, one way or another. You can count on Malachi going with me if I die, I will not let him continue his reign of terror in my town." Walts voice was sultry and rough, Mathias smiled and shook his head.

"What kind of officer leaves just when a fellow lawman needs him most. May it never be said of me that I walked away from my responsibilities. I will not be that person, I'm in." Walt's cheeks flushed hot, he was furious that Henry still hadn't been found, but he was grateful to have Mathias at his side. The two men leaned back against Walt's Bronco, the almost inaudible rumble of it's engine hummed beneath them.

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Thirty, that's how many armed men Henry had counted so far. His best friend would be walking into a trap. He wasn't sure what kind of back up Walt would be able to get but he hoped there would be enough. It was so dusty that he was experiencing nose bleeds and tightness in his chest.

Henry let out a pained cough as he attempted to shift his weight from one leg to the other. He could no longer feel his backside and the tingling in his arms was driving him mad. It was the waiting that got to him most though, the unknown, his mind was consumed by the question of 'what if?' What if no help was coming? He did his best to push the thought out of his head, his throbbing, bleeding head ... no use.

"Hey, you want a smoke," his desiginated jailer looked down at him inquisitivly. "You look like you could use a smoke, after all it couldn't possibly do much more damage then what has already been done." Henry glanced up at the goon and gave a half smile.

"I will pass on the cigarette, I would appreciate some water though, any chance of that happening?" The man looked at Henry with a dumbfounded expression on his face as if he had asked him about some deeply philisophical mystery.

"Hahaha, you really thought I was gonna give you something, you are not too bright are you Standing Bear? Tell you what, how about I sing for you." The brute cleared his throat and began to sing "Home on the Range" with a low and shockingly soothing voice, Henry's heart beat seemed to steady and his jaw unclenched. If he was going to survive, he had to sleep ... hard as it was to get "comfortable" he had to rest. Malachi was planning to do away with all the loose ends he had, and Henry wanted to be ready to get away when the time came. Still, one thing seemed to keep him fully awake ... Walt had no idea the savage storm awaiting him.

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"For the record, I was not the one who suggested the spicy orange chicken ... Ferg insisted that you try both the mild and hot kind. I hope you like the feeling of your taste buds sizziling." Cady smiled at Vic as she passed her some pot stickers and a couple fortune cookies.

"Are you kidding this is great, I am so sick of hospital food, it has only been one day and I can hardly stomach it." Vic's eyes met Cady's and she smiled as she opened the styrofoam takeout container. The smell assaulted her senses and she closed her eyes in anticipation.

"How are you doing Vic, really?" Cady's question hung stagnant in the air, it was a hard one to answer. She looked at her, 'I am sick with grief because I was pregnant and my baby died, I was impulsive and stupid and I got shot. My heart feels like it is in a vice and there are no tears left. Also, I love your father and I know that it isn't right but it is true.' No words came out, instead she was resolved to take the easy road out and give the typical answer. Her eyes shot up to meet Cady's.

"I am doing better, feeling stronger too," Vic lied. Cady exhaled deeply, expressing relief. Vic was glad that she bought it and they both sat silently enjoying the food. Vic was grateful, it was far better than the tasteless goop she had been eating. "Thank you for being here Cady, it means so much to me." She meant it, the last thing she wanted right now was to be alone.


End file.
